CA-ANALOGIX-SEMI

Analogix
Semiconductor, Inc.
today announced the availability of its
VirtualLink™ Reference Design which enables VirtualLink directly on the
motherboard of high-performance gaming notebooks, allowing them to
support virtual reality (VR) over the USB-C™ connector. External
accessories can also leverage the reference design to interface legacy
graphics processing units (GPUs) to future VirtualLink-enabled VR
head-mounted displays.

Introduced by a consortium led by NVIDIA, Oculus, Valve, AMD, and
Microsoft, the VirtualLink Alternate Mode of USB Type-C™ was designed to
deliver the power, display, and data required to power VR headsets
through a single USB Type-C connector, eliminating the need for multiple
cables. It expands on the USB Type-C connector’s capabilities to deliver
high-definition video at high frame rates, high-speed 10Gpbs USB-C data
for camera and sensor communication back to the VR source, and up to 27W
power delivery to the VR headset.

The Analogix VirtualLink reference design system consists of:

Input: 4-lane DisplayPort 1.4 and 1-lane USB 3.2 Gen2;

Output: USB-C with power delivery (PD) and support for DisplayPort™
Alt Mode and VirtualLink Alternate Mode;

“Connecting and powering a tethered VR headset environment today
involves multiple cables; the goal is to leverage a single connector
solution that simplifies set-up and maintains high-performance,” said
Michael Ching, vice president of marketing for Analogix. “The Analogix
VirtualLink RD brings VirtualLink and VR support to gaming laptops of
any size with a single USB-C port.”

All system components are in full production and the reference design
will be available for purchase from Analogix by July 2019.

Analogix Semiconductor, Inc. designs and manufactures semiconductors for
the digital multimedia market, from portable devices such as
smartphones, notebooks, and AR/VR head mounted displays, to large,
high-definition TVs and high-end graphics cards. Analogix is the market
leader in providing end-to-end interface connectivity semiconductor
solutions for DisplayPort under its SlimPort brand, including high-speed
signal conditioners, and an industry leader in mobile display
controllers, such as low-power, high-speed timing controller solutions.
The DisplayPort standard is an innovative, packetized digital interface
for high-resolution video and audio that was developed by the Video
Electronics Standards Association (VESA). SlimPort branded products are
compliant with DisplayPort, Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP), and DisplayPort
Alternate Mode over the USB Type-C connector.